Creating an Online Course

Creating an online course isn’t just for university instructors whose classes are full. If you have a particular skill, chances are you’ll find interested students.

Luckily, creating online classes is as simple as can be. You can share your learning content on social media or through e-learning platforms. Then, you’ll make a passive income for as long as the courses are live!

In this guide, you’ll find everything you need to create online courses. Let’s dive in.

An Overview of Creating an Online Course: A Primer

Whether you have a special area of expertise or talent, sharing it with the world is the way to go. Not only will you show off your interests with like-minded individuals, but you’ll also make a profit.

Nowadays, people would much rather learn online than in person. So, you’ll ensure that there’s an audience for your online courses, no matter what discipline you’re teaching.

That’s not all. You might believe you don’t have a talent for teaching. However, seeing how many students benefit from your course and receiving their positive feedback is the best encouragement.

Still, many people don’t have a unique talent. Well, there are hundreds of ideas for online courses. For starters, your online sessions might be related to your field of work. Alternatively, you can help others by creating self-development courses relating to public speaking, relationships, and working out.

How Much Can Creating an Online Course Earn You?

Depending on the learning outcome and field of study, you should expect to earn anywhere between $1 to $10k per month.

That’s natural, as some areas are more sought after than others. To further explain, here are all the factors that affect the markup of your online class:

• Your experience level: Potential students are more likely to enroll in courses with a highly skilled instructor with a proven record.
• Your audience: Each course and topic has a different target audience with a distinct income level.
• Credentials: You can teach a course without a certificate. Yet, getting an online course accredited increases its value, hence its price.
• Competition: Some fields have a smaller target audience and numerous competitors. In contrast, if you have a specific niche, you might become a community leader through your online course.

How Much Does It Cost to Start a Side Hustle Creating an Online Course?

Usually, online course creation doesn’t require any start-up capital! Yet, you’ll need to invest plenty of time and effort to prepare relevant lesson plans, film high-quality course materials, market the courses, and interact with the students.

That said, you might need to pay a couple of hundred dollars. The reason is that some topics, such as home improvement and personal styling, require certain tools to aid in teaching and help you demonstrate your skills.

You might also pay for digital marketing campaigns. This includes email lists and custom domains.

Where Can You Sell an Online Course?

Any digital location can be an online course marketplace. Still, if you have a specific demographic of potential customers in mind, some websites might be better than others.

Here’s your complete guide to selling online classes:

Where to Independently Sell Online Courses

If you’re an independent course creator, you still can create profitable online classes via social media.

Many successful online course instructors started on YouTube. While potential students won’t necessarily pay for the courses themselves, you’ll make a profit through ad revenue.

Since we’re living in the golden age of social media, you might also share your courses on TikTok, Instagram Reels, and Facebook. Even if you have a custom domain, these will act as exceptional marketing tools.

Social media allows you to create an online community. That’s because you’ll be able to use different platforms as discussion forums for your course. Then, you might sell your products and other learning materials through these platforms.

Online Platforms for Creating an Online Course

Though you can create your custom domain to sell courses, online platforms can significantly facilitate the process. That’s because they connect you with the target audience and help improve the learning experience for both the course creator and current students.

The best part is that most of these platforms don’t require a sign-up fee. Yet, you’ll make monthly royalties based on the number of students enrolled in your class.

Here are excellent websites that host courses in various disciplines:

• Udemy
• Skillshare
• Wix
• Teachable
• Podia

Why You Should Consider Creating an Online Course as a Side Hustle

Here are all the reasons why creating online classes is a perfect side hustle:

• Flexible work environment: Unlike other side hustles, teaching an online class means you get to work from home, while traveling, or even at your nine-to-five job!
• Passive income: The concept of passive income isn’t new. Yet, creating an online course is a unique way of making a passive income.
• Beneficial: There’s no better feeling than being useful. Fortunately, online course creators help students learn valuable skills in an accessible, affordable way. 

Problem With Creating an Online Course

Though creating online sessions is easy, you might face the following problems:

• Requires high experience: Successful course creators must be knowledgeable. If you only know the basics, you won’t be able to tackle students’ inquiries, nor improve the learning content.
• Your course must be one-of-a-kind: To create an online class, you must have a unique approach that sets you apart from competitors.
• Student satisfaction: In the online course marketplace, students are customers. So, it’s crucial to keep them satisfied with interesting lesson plans and interactive quizzes.

Frequently Asked Questions